Slang or Street Names:
Methamphetamine is a
toxic,
addictive stimulant that affects many areas of the
central nervous system. The drug is often made in
clandestine laboratories from relatively inexpensive
over-the-counter ingredients. It is being used by diverse groups, including many
young adults who attend
raves in many regions of the country.
- Available in many forms, methamphetamine can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally.
- Meth is a white, oderless, bitter tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in liquid.<, leading to its popularity as a so-called Date Rape drug.>
- Meth use is associated with serious health consequences, including memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior, and potential cardiac and neurological damage.
- Meth users typically display signs of agitation, excited speech, decreased appitite, and increased physical activity levels.
- Meth is neurotoxic. Methamphetamine abusers may have significant reductions in dopamine transporters.
- Meth use can contribute to higher rates of transmission of infectious diseases, especially hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
However, see
vivaldi's writeup below.
Meth use is especially prevalent in rural areas where production of the explosive mixture can be done in an area where it's less likely to be detected.
Some information taken, with permission, from a National Institue on Drug Abuse Community Drug Alert Bulletin.